Case Study No.1

Ladyburn

An unseen whisky distillery from the 1960s in need of a presence.

JUMP TO :

– Overview

– Release Structure

– Identity

– Packaging

– Complete Collection

Services

Strategy, Identity, Partnerships, Packaging, Art Direction, Web Design

Client

William Grant & Sons

Credits

Edition One: David Bailey
Edition Two: Norman Parkinson / Iconic images
Edition Three: David Hicks / Ashley Hicks
Product Photography: John Short & Burgess Studio
Web Build: The Constant Media

Overview

Only operational for nine years from 1966 to 1975, and with no official bottles released in its history, Ladyburn is for many the ultimate ‘ghost’ whisky. ‘Ghost’ is the colloquial term given to a whisky from a distillery that no longer exists. Entirely dismantled in 1976, not only has the distillery itself vanished, but Ladyburn had no visual identity whatsoever; no logos, bottles, packaging. All that remains of it is the whisky itself. And that is how we have left it. Almost invisible. A ghost. But also a platform to show all the excitement and dynamism of the period when the whisky was made; a time of optimism and great change.

The complete collection of bottles for Ladyburn Edition One in partnership with David Baily

Release Structure

For the first releases of Ladyburn, single casks were chosen from 1966 - the opening year of the distillery. The concept was to pair these incredible rare casks from their unseen distillery with art partners from the period, showcasing unseen work from their celebrated lifetimes work. Ladyburn Edition One, a 1966 single cask aged 54 years, was paired with the seldom seldom seen side of world renowned photographer David Bailey’s seminal 1960’s work ‘East End’, depicting a London lost forever. The complete set of bottles, carrying all ten images, includes an eleventh bottle, ‘the black swan’, that features a colour image and can only be acquired when a full collection is purchased. Each signed bottle is presented in its own case. A larger presentation case was created for clients to display the entire collection.

1. Smithfield Market No.1 by David Bailey Bottle
2. Individual case dust bag
3. Smithfield Market No.1 by David Bailey Bottle
4. Inside Individual Case featuring ‘Black Swan’ Bottle

Smithfield Market No.1 by David Baile Bottle

Inside Individual Case featuring ‘Black Swan’ Bottle

Identity

The Ladyburn identity is a reflection of the distillery now. A ghost. Wherever possible the identity is always presented it it’s most subtle form becoming a back drop, much like a gallery space, to the art partners work and the whisky itself. The type marque and image captions are blind debossed into special label paper that causes the paper to go transparent. This was applicaton was applied wherever possible, to bottle label sets, the leather of the presentation cases and all forms of stationery and invitations.

5. Type marque on invitation card
6. Individual case dust bag
7. Smithfield Market No.1 by David Baile Bottle
8. Inside Individual Case featuring ‘Black Swan’ Bottle

Packaging

There is much hyperbole in the world of whisky. Luckily, Ladyburn has the priviledged position that it doesn’t need to rely on this strategy to sell itself ten times over. The liquid itself is remarkable, extremely limited and once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. This confidence was the basis for the Identity. Pair everything back and play on the ghotsly essance of the disitllery. Ladyburn uses a label paper that takes a blind deboss extremely well. This means that the logo and text can be pressed into the label and instead of using ink, the spectre of the liquid shines through and highlights the information. This visual language extends to the individual bottle cases, folios and stationary.